Black Cell
by Silver Meta Dragon
Summary: Sequel to Dance of the Macabre. Fox's shadowy past returns and begs him to come back, whether he does or not remians to be seen. Complete, sorry if it was short. R&R please
1. Chapter 1: Resurrection

Black Cell

Chapter 1

Author's Note: I now tell another tale of a panther and a vulpine. This will be my eleventh fic and I can't believe that I made it this far after several brick walls. I would like to thank all my supporters from when I was Great Fox until now and future ones too. Now this is a continuation of Dance of the Macabre, so if you are confused, read that one first. Now onto the story!

Two months after being recaptured in Zoness…

I walked into a small holding room in Shark Tank and I was being processed. For what you must ask; well today I would be released from the prison. I had served my time and I was a free creature as soon as I left the prison.

"Come over here inmate." A guard said and I walked into an adjoining room. "State your name."

"Calyx." I said and the guard tapped on the console in front of him.

"Calyx, in for fifteen years for the crimes of murder, rape, drug trafficking, and hijacking; served five of the fifteen years. Have you been rehabilitated?" The question was asked to every inmate and their response either let them out or keep them in for the rest of their term.

"Yes sir, the killer in me has been exposed and he has passed on." It seemed satisfactory so the guard motioned for my release. Two guards took my paws that were bound behind me and they escorted me to the docking bay. I stepped onto a shuttle and the doors closed behind me.

It was the most beautiful sound in the world.

The shuttle set down in Corneria a few hours later and I stepped out into the air, even though the quality wasn't so good, it seemed like heaven as I felt the cuffs fall off.

"You're free now." The guard said and the shuttle took off behind me; the city was before me and I looked at what the guards had given to me on the ride here. I had a small Comm, a hundred credits, an ID, and a wallet to keep the money and ID in. I slipped the wallet into my clothes that had been given to me when I left the prison; they were denim colored pants, black shirt, and a pair of shoes. I strapped the Comm to my wrist and I walked into the streets.

There weren't a lot of panthers roaming the streets; in fact, I was the only one at the time. I received odd looks from passersby's but I ignored them; panthers must be stereotyped because even young ones were kept away from me. I looked to my left and I saw something of interest, an apartment was up for sale. I walked into the large building and I walked over to the receptionist.

"I saw the ad on the door."

"Let's see some ID." She said rudely and I handed it over. "We don't offer to former inmates; now get out of here before I call the cops." I quickly walked out and a thought occurred to me, I needed to get to Zoness. I called a taxi and I hopped in.

"Main Docking Bay and step on it." The driver nodded and the cab flew through the streets of Corneria, he took a few dangerous turns and a few minutes later I arrived. I gave him a few credits and ran to the ticket window. The female feline behind the counter looked bored and she yawned when I came up.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, one ticket to Zoness, one way." She tapped the screen in front of her and yawned again.

"That will be eighty credits." I forked over the money and she printed out a ticket for me. I took it and looked at it, the next shuttle was leaving in a few minutes and I quickly ran to the gate. I passed through it and stepped onto the shuttle just as the doors were closing. I looked around and there were two other passengers on the shuttle, they were two tigers that looked exactly the same.

"Why are we going to Zoness again?"

"I don't know, I can't seem to find us a job here anywhere. No one will take in recent inmates." The other tiger responded. They looked awfully familiar and I chanced my luck.

"Mishkin and Janus?" They immediately looked up and I waked over to them.

"Calyx! What are you doing here?" Mishkin asked me and I smiled,

"I'm going to find Zima. I never got to thank her for a night a few months ago." I replied. Mishkin smiled and I knew what he was implying. "Stop acting like a kitten Mishkin."

"Ok, I'm sorry Calyx." We were silent for a bit and Janus leaned forward.

"So when did you get on parole from Shark Tank?"

"No parole here, I am a free panther." Janus laughed and he punched me on the shoulder.

"Nice, we're still on parole thanks to the ass over here."

"Hey, I didn't know that I took his spot at the table." I gave Mishkin a puzzled look and Janus explained.

"He sat down in the cafeteria and it was occupied by another inmate, he was a lot bigger than us and we paid for it."

"I was in the infirmary for a week." Mishkin added.

"But after my brother recovered, we were released on parole. And now, we are on our way to Zoness."

"Do you ever think about Fox?" I asked and the pair nodded.

"Yes, he was like a father to me." Janus said and Mishkin was silent for the moment.

"I saw him in the morgue and something freaked me out."

"And that is?" Janus said and he continued.

"Well, the fur wasn't cold, I mean it as like he was still alive and was just in suspended animation or something." My jaw dropped and Janus looked at his brother.

"You never told me that."

"Well, I thought that it didn't matter since he was dead but now that I think about it, I'm not sure that he died."

"Well," I interjected. "He did die once before and he came back. Did he ever tell you about that?" I said and the tigers nodded.

"Yeah, he was shot by another merc named Falco, um," Janus struggled for the name and Mishkin continued. "Lombardi. He took a bolt right to the chest, how he survived is beyond me."

"It's Fox McCloud, there doesn't need to be an explanation. He was the greatest mercenary that ever lived, in my opinion." I said and I suddenly felt very tired. "How long is this shuttle ride?"

"About four hours." Mishkin said and I put my head back.

"Wake me when we arrive."

"Calyx, wake up." Something shook me and I opened my eyes, Janus stood over me and I woke up.

"Ok, I'm up." I said and I felt the shuttle coming to a stop as it rumbled for just a moment. The two tigers were already up and they were standing by the door to leave. I joined them and we walked out into Zoness, the streets hadn't changed even since when I had left them and I wanted to find that club. "I have to find Zima." I said and I turned the Comm on. It was equipped with a map of the entire Lylat System and I tuned it in for Zoness. I located the bar and I began walking.

"Hey Calyx, wait up." The tigers aid as they caught up to me.

"Did you find the club?" Mishkin asked and I saw it in the distance, the door was wide open and it looked like there was a lot of activity tonight. Night was beginning to fall and I quickly pushed past the furs as I walked up to the building. The dance floor was crowded and I turned to the tigers.

"Stay here for a moment; I don't want to lose you in the crowd." They nodded and I walked in. A pretty vixen walked up to me and she was only wearing a brown cloth around her waist, gold earring in her left ear and a pair of stilettos.

"Hey, don't I know you?"

"Yes," I said looking her straight in the eye. "Where is Zima?"

"She's at the bar, why do you know her?"

"Yeah, its been a while." I pushed past her and walked over to the bar. The black panther was dealing out shots when I asked for a vodka.

"Calyx!" She exclaimed and another female took her place as she walked over to her. "Take care of the bar, I'll be back." The female nodded and she smiled at me. Zima was wearing a long blue outfit that exposed her midriff and showed a lot of fur around her chest. "Where have you been Calyx?"

"I have a long story; I need to get two tigers in here first so hold on a sec." I walked back outside and the pair followed me in. Zima nodded and I turned to them. "Well, go have some fun, just don't get into anything too heavy." They smiled and vanished into the crowd, I turned to Zima and I looked into her eyes.

"Is there somewhere where we could talk?"

"Yes, come one." We walked behind the bar and she opened the door to where you could either go into the basement or upstairs. We walked upstairs and I recognized the room from only two months ago, but it seemed like an eternity…

"Hmm, it hasn't changed." The room was sparse with a bed, dresser, and window where Fox had left from... I felt a paw slid around my waist and I looked into the vixen's eyes. "And neither have you." Zima smiled and we embraced as I stroked the back of her head.

"It's been a long few months without you." She looked up at me and I nodded.

"Yes, I have missed you so much." I felt her tail slide around my leg and I kissed her. Zima was taken by surprise but soon she gave into me and I held her tight. She broke he embrace and I looked back down into the bar, there was a clear view onto the dance floor if the door wasn't shut from her room.

"So when does the party calm down?"

"In a few hours, I could close early though." She let go of me and we walked down the stairs. Zima vaulted onto the stage and she grabbed a mike off the wall. The music stopped and she smiled as the occupants looked at her. "Are you having fun tonight?" She said and they roared back their answer. "Well, tonight will be an early one, in an hour I'm shutting the club down, so get in any last minutes things and be prepared to leave." She hooked the mike back on the wall and walked back over to me. "Ok, you have your wish. I need to man the bar for the rest of the time," She put an arm around me and I sighed. "You look tired. Take a rest in my room and I'll wake you up soon." I nodded and I went back up the stairs. I laid down on her bed and Zima's scent filtered into my nose, it smelled so beautiful and I closed my eyes as the music faded.

The nurse flipped through the clipboard as she walked into the morgue.

"Ok, he's done. Done, done, done, done…ok, now where is this one?" She said and she walked over to a body covered with a sheet. She examined the toe stub and nodded. "Fox McCloud, I never thought I would see you here." She bent down to remove the tag and there was a rustling sound, the sheet fell down and her heart jumped into her throat.

"Where…am…I?" A voice asked and the nurse screamed as she saw him, he had sat up and was looking her in the eye. He looked terrible since he _had _been dead, he slid off the gurney and the nurse screamed again. Fox grabbed the gurney for support and the burse fled as he wrapped the sheet around him. "The morgue? Oh man, I really have to stop dying." Fox walked out of the room and he rubbed his eyes as the few nurses on call at the station looked at him in amazement. "What are you looking at?"

"You...you're alive!" A nurse said and Fox fell against the wall. Two nurses immediately ran to him and they held him as he was suddenly weak.

"I need some clothes, a shower, and food now." Fox said and he was laid on a gurney. "Oh it's great to be back."


	2. Chapter 2: Black Cell

Black Cell

Chapter 2

I awoke sometime later when I heard Zima coming back up the stairs. My clothes rested on the chair beside the bed and she sat down next to me as I sat up.

"Hey Zima."

"Well, the club has shut down. Your tiger friends are in the basement," She chuckled and continued. "Mishkin is completely sloshed. He had a bit too much vodka but the other, Janus, is sleeping soundly." She smiled at the thought.

"Well, I am glad that they are ok." She looked at me and her blue eyes seemed to penetrate my soul.

"I have missed you Calyx."

"Probably me even more. You know, I never got to thank you for that night." She smiled and Zima stood up, she shed her dress and she laid down next to me. Zima slipped under the covers and I felt her body press against mine.

"Well, here is your chance now."

Fox sat on the hospital gurney, he had been fed, taken a shower and now was in a dormant state, I mean, he did just come back from the dead.

The nurse walked into his room and she adjusted the IV into his arm, she increased the flow and took a few notes on her clipboard. She left and Fox stirred but did not wake up. A few minutes later, the closet opened silently and a black cloaked figure tip pawed into the room. Night had fallen and he kept in the shadows as the doctor came in.

"Hmm, still sleeping, well, I guess I'll be back later." The figure walked out and with practiced skill; the assassin crept over to the sleeping vulpine. A small tube and a dark beam materialized out of the tube. The assassin raised it over Fox and the breath was held as a smile crept onto its face.

"Try again." Fox said as he slammed his paw into the assassin's chest. The figure was taken by surprise and it was floored as Fox sat up. He quickly pressed the call button for the nurse and he vaulted out of the bed as he took the IV out of his arm. He held the needle out and the assassin stood up. "Who are you?"

"You don't remember Fox?"

"No, who are you?"

"Fox, they want you back." The voice was clearly disguised and its muzzle was veiled. "They _need_ you back."

"What? Who wants me back?" Fox said and the assassin stood up. A paw came out and a dark blue paw was unveiled. "Amethyst?"

"Fox," She holstered her knife and the veil was shed off her muzzle, the small voice garbler was removed from her muzzle and she put it away. Amethyst was a dark lupine with dark blue fur, jade eyes, white fur around her ears, and a star tattoo on her left cheek. "I need you to come back to the Black Cell."

"No, that is not possible. I broke off relations with the Cell a long time ago." He said and the nurse walked in.

"You called, what the!" She stopped when she saw Amethyst and she ran out of the room, screaming for the doctor.

"Fox, I'll find you later," She walked over and kissed him for two seconds then melted back into the shadows as she left the room from the window. Fox lowered the needle and he sighed, the kiss had made him remember what they had.

Black Cell…his former organization, it wanted him back.

I awoke sometime later and light filtered into the window as I looked at the small clock on the dresser, it read 11:00. I yawned and I noticed that Zima still was wrapped around me from last night. I stroked her forehead and she came awake.

"Calyx." She said my name and I felt her tail fall over my hip as it wound around mine.

"Yes, Zima?" I asked and we kissed for a moment.

"I really love you, do you know that?"

"I do, ever since I met you down in the basement of the club. So when do you open?"

"Well, we're usually a night hotspot but I open sometime in the afternoon, that's when business starts coming in." She moved her muzzle into my ear and whispered something. "But I'll open anytime for you." I smiled and I detangled myself from her as I slipped on my clothes.

"I'm going to check the tigers, I'll be back."

"Ok, I'll be down in a moment." I walked down into the club and the chairs were stacked on the tables and the lights were off as I walked into the basement. Mishkin and Janus were still sleeping and I went over to Janus.

"Hey, wake up." He stirred and his eyes gradually opened.

"Oh hey Calyx, what time is it?"

"Time to get up, now get your brother up it's almost 11." I walked back up to the main room and Zima had the lights on, she was putting down chairs and I helped her.

"I guess after we put down all these chairs, I should open." I nodded and I walked over to the door, I opened it and a figure was standing at the door. Before I could ask, he slammed his paw into my chest and I flew onto the floor as he pulled out a blaster.

"Hey, stay where you are panther." He said as he had a blaster out. She froze and I stood up. "Where is he?"

"Who?" I asked and my chest ached, he must have hit me with a solid object because no paw could do that.

"Fox McCloud, he was with you Calyx and now where is he?"

"He's dead." The blaster was lowered and the figure was still backlit and I could not see his image.

"When did this happen?"

"A month or so ago, he was killed by a SWAT team, I was there when he died. The figure's Comm rang and he answered it.

"I found Fox." A voice said on the end. I saw his head move back up to me and I figured he had a puzzle look on.

"Are you sure? I have a panther here that says that he is dead."

"He's lying, I saw him in the hospital. Where are you?"

"At the strip club, but how?"

"Well, he is Fox McCloud." I replied and the figure put away the Comm. He holstered his blaster and he left the club without a word.

"What was that?" Zima asked and I shrugged.

"No clue."

Fox walked into the discharge room and he signed himself out of the hospital; he was wearing a shirt, pants, shoes, and a wrist Comm. He stepped out into the bright sunlight and he shaded his eyes as he mixed into the Cornerians on the street, there were so many and he pulled up a map on the Comm. He needed to find a ride to Zoness; with any luck, Calyx would be there. He walked to the docking bay and he strode up to the ticket window. The vixen behind the counter yawned and he took out the money that he had.

"One way to Zoness."

"Eighty credits please." Fox handed over the money and she gave him no change. He took his ticket and he looked at the departures; Zoness was leaving in an hour so he sat down on a bench.

Someone sat down beside him and it was Amethyst.

"How did you find me?" Fox asked and she smiled at him.

"I have my ways." She didn't look like an assassin anymore although it didn't compromise her figure, which was outstanding; her clothes consisted of pants, a tank top, shoes, and an amethyst necklace. How fitting. "So where are you going?"

"Zoness, I need to find an old friend."

"I can get you there; my ship is in the docking bay right now. We could leave right now." Fox looked over and he mulled it over. He felt her take his paw and a thousand memories of them cascaded down in front of him.

"Well, since you put it like that, I guess I have no choice." Fox stood up and he walked with Amethyst to the docking bay. It was a long walk and Fox felt the lupine's arm loop around him.

"So Fox, I heard you went to Shark Tank." Amethyst said. She had to look up a bit since he was taller than her and Fox nodded.

"Yeah, but I'd rather not talk about it until we get to the ship." Amethyst nodded and she looked back.

"We're being followed, keep your pace steady and keep talking to me."

"Who is following us?"

"A rival Cell, you remember Crimson Cell right? Well, apparently they found me and they know who you are."

"So what do we do?" Fox asked and Amethyst kept walking.

"I'm still trying to figure that out." She let her arm drop from Fox and it strayed to a small holster on her belt. She drew out the small tube and she slipped it into Fox's paw. "Do you still remember how to use this?"

"As it was yesterday."

"If we get into a tight spot, use it." She said and a hoverbus was stopped at the corner. "In the bus, now." They walked in and the doors shut just as the Crimson Cell members walked up to it. They turned away and the bus rumbled as it moved into traffic. Fox looked around and he realized that they were the only ones one.

"Hey driver, take us to the docking bay."

"No problem sir." He answered and Fox sighed.

"That was close."

"Yeah, they would have killed us if they caught us." The lupine said and she laid her head on Fox's shoulder. "Do you remember when we met?"

"Yes, that was a very strange day. I think it was night and I doing a job that required a tremendous amount of stealth. Somehow we had to face off and I won."

"No, I had you floored, I definitely remember that." She said and looked up at Fox.

"I don't know; I seem to remember that I had you begging for mercy." Amethyst sighed and she shook her head.

"Well, fine but that's not how it happened." The bus stopped and they walked out into the docking bay. She led Fox to a small, grey ship and the hatch opened at her presence. They walked in and Amethyst took out a small Comm from her belt, he flicked it on and did a full scan of the ship. "Ok, no foreign objects." She walked into the cockpit and sat down, her paws ran over the console and the ship rumbled as the engines came online. Fox sat down next to her and the ship shot out of the bay, it passed into space and she set the autopilot for Zoness.

"Wow, it has been so long since I have been on this ship."

"I know; I still have some of your effects if you want them back." Fox looked puzzled and they walked into her bedroom. She went over to a worn dresser and she opened a drawer. "Ok, blaster, knife, stealth suit, and your personal Comm." Fox took the stuff and he checked them over, it was like they were new. "I tried to take care of them when you left the Cell hoping that you would return." Fox strapped on the Comm and he slipped the belt on that had the knife and blaster on it.

"Wow, I wonder if this still fits?" Fox said and he threw it over his shoulder (if you have ever played a Metal Gear game, the suit is kind of like Snake's.) "So how long until we arrive at Zoness?"

"Four hours." Amethyst replied and Fox sighed, he suddenly felt really tired.

"I could really use a nap."

"Well," She gestured to her bed and Fox handed her the suit. "There you go." Fox laid down and he inhaled Amethyst's scent, it had been so long and she walked over to the bed after putting the suit over a chair. She laid down next to him and she looped her arms around Fox. Amethyst pressed her body to him and she placed her head under his muzzle. "How long has it been Fox?"

"Too long." He said and Fox rubbed the back of her head. "I really do love you Amethyst." She threaded her tail through their entwined legs and it curled around Fox's. He closed his eyes and they fell asleep.

Fox awoke sometime later and Amethyst was gone, he sighed and Fox rose off the bed. He walked into the cockpit and Amethyst was working on the console.

"Hey Fox, we're here." She said and Fox sat down next to her. The craft shot through the atmosphere and as Zoness came into view, Fox tried to find the club.

"I hope Calyx is still here." Fox said and Amethyst put the craft down in the docking bay. Fox went back to the bedroom and he grabbed his suit as the hatch opened, they walked out and Fox turned on his Comm. A map came on and he examined it. "Ok, we want to go this way." They walked into the street and Fox blended in, after all, he had many years of practice. They walked to the bar and Fox poked his head in, it was late in the afternoon but business was still slow. He walked in and Amethyst kept behind him as a scantily clad vixen walked up to him.

"Hey, wanna…" She stopped and Fox held up a paw.

"I know, just be quiet for a moment." He saw two animals he knew and he walked over to Zima and Calyx.

"Hey you two." Calyx dropped his shot of vodka and his jaw dropped.

"What the Hell? Fox!" The two embraced for a moment and Calyx slapped him on the back.

"Yes, I know." He turned to Zima and she had an amazed look on her muzzle.

"You are amazing Fox." Amethyst walked up and Calyx burst out laughing.

"Who is this?"

"This is Amethyst, I've know her since pre-Shark Tank. This is Zima and Calyx." The lupine nodded and Fox looked around for the tigers.

"Where are they?"

"Mishkin and Janus are in the basement, they had a late night last night and they are still socked out." Zima said and Fox laughed. Customers were starting to trickle in and Zima went behind the bar. "How long do you two plan to stay?"

"As long as needed, I have someone calling me back." He said and Fox looked at Amethyst. Calyx walked up to Fox and he took his paw.

"Hey man, you ever need some support; I'll be here for you." Fox was taken a bit off guard but he squeezed the panther's paw.

"Thanks Cal."

Sometime later, actually a few hours later when the club was stating to heat up again, Fox stood outside the door to the building. He sighed and looked at his paw, deep underneath the fur was a mark, he had kept it hidden from everyone but he saw it clearly, it was a reminder of Black Cell. An ankh with two snakes wrapped around it, symbolizing the power of the Cell. Fox shivered slightly and he remembered the training he had to go through to become a member, he was put through pure Hell, but that was the only way, if you weren't able to complete the training, you died.

First you received the ankh, then a snake and then finally the other, by that time the Cell has transformed what you were into what you promised yourself that you would never become. Think of it as a corruption of the soul.

But, if you could overcome the darkness that was forced upon you, then Black Cell was family, you would even begin to like it, love it, care for it. Fox had passed the training, he had seen the weak ones pass in the trials and he had only come through with a select few.

Fox shook himself and he was jolted out of the memory…


	3. Chapter 3: Opposition

Black Cell

Chapter 3: Opposition

I sat at the bar and the tigers were on either side of me as Zima smiled at me, she was looking pretty damn fine tonight. She was wearing the red dress that I met her in and she poured me a vodka.

"Well, it looks like business is hopping tonight." I said and Zima nodded.

"Yeah, I don't know why, it's normally like this." She replied and I felt a paw on my shoulder.

"Calyx, I'm going to go out with Amethyst for a while, we might not be back for a couple of days."

"Ok man, stay safe." I gave him my paw and we shook. I noticed that Fox had on a different set of clothes, it was a black form fitting suit and it was pitch black. I watched him go and I turned to Zima. "I wonder where he is going?"

I walked with Amethyst into her craft and she ran to the cockpit, I sat down next to he and she started up the engines. The ship rumbled and I looked over at her.

"So you're taking me back to the Black Cell base?"

"Yes, you need to come back to the life that you left Fox." She said and the craft shot off of Zoness. Amethyst put it on autopilot and she sat back. "Ten hours to the Black Cell base." She said and I rose up, I walked into the small bedroom, I sat on the chair beside the bed and Amethyst sat down on her bed. "So why did you leave Black Cell? I mean, you left before I could ask."

"Well, I just couldn't stay on; the missions were getting really taxing and I had to leave. I'm sorry that I never got into contact with you." She nodded and Amethyst took my paw.

"Well, now that we are back together, it makes up for what you did." She pulled me toward her and I sat next to her as she placed her muzzle next to mine. "I really love you, Fox." I felt her arms loop around me and I fell back as she curled up next to me. I moved my body onto the bed and Amethyst pressed herself to me as I stroked the back of her head.

"You realize that you smell so _good_." I said and sniffed her neck as she giggled.

"Well, so do you." She let out her purple tongue and it ran over my muzzle as I kissed her.

Awhile later, I woke up and Amethyst was still curled around me, she was still sleeping but I had to check where we were. I detangled myself from her and she stirred but did not wake up as I walked into the cockpit. I looked out and I saw a large space station floating in space, the station was extremely wide and long and my mind went back a few pages in the book of my memory. I remembered this station quite well.

I sat down in the cockpit and the Comm lit up.

"You are entering restricted airspace, turn around within the next five seconds or you will be shot down." A voice said, the video was cut but the audio was there.

"This is Fox McCloud; do I have permission to land?" The voice was silent for a moment and then resumed.

"Fox, welcome back to the Cell."

The crowd was beginning to thin out and Mishkin walked up to me from the dance floor, he sat down next to me and I smiled at him.

"Mishkin how was that?" He looked over his shoulder and a pretty tigress waved at him.

"She is something Calyx." He sighed and rested his head on the bar. A group of furs walked out of the bar and the strippers began leaving also, I turned over my last shot and Zima walked over to me.

"Want another Calyx?"

"No, two is enough." I said and she sighed.

"Well, another successful night at the bar and no one was killed." She said and the tigress walked up to Mishkin.

"Well, Mishkin I had a great night." She put her arms around him and she leaned on him.

"Well, so did I." He said and Janus chuckled beside me. He took a pull on his drink and Mishkin kissed the tigress. "So is this where we part?"

"Yes, here." She handed him a ring off her paw and he took the ring, it was solid gold with an inscription carved in it. "Maybe our paths will cross someday, until then," She kissed him again and then walked out of the bar.

"Wow that was…" Mishkin said breathlessly and I laughed. The bar was no empty except for us and Zima shivered.

"What was that?" I asked.

"I don't know, just cold." She said and I felt my merc instincts kick in.

"Janus and Mishkin get in the basement, Zima get in your room." I walked behind the bar and I grabbed the shotgun. They looked at me and I pumped the barrel. "Do it, something doesn't feel right." The tigers ran downstairs and Janus came back up with an M4 slung on his back. "What are you doing?"

"Helping you." Zima and Mishkin ran to the upstairs and I slid the gun back into the place under the bar, Janus also hid his gun and four figures walked into the bar. They were dressed in black fatigues and I saw their armaments on their backs: Shotguns, M6's, dual pistols and I noticed an old fashioned sword hanging on the side of one.

"Bar's closed." I said and one took a step forward.

"I don't want a drink, where is he?"

"Who?" I asked and the three others stood in a line.

"Fox McCloud, I need to find him."

"And why is that?" Janus asked and the figure, who I could not see the muzzle of but I suspected he was a lynx since I could recognize his walk.

"He was last reported here; do not try to hide him panther."

"Bar's closed; you'll have to leave now." He drew out his M6 but he was stopped since I had my shotgun out first. "Don't try it." Mishkin had his gun out and he pulled the hammer back as the figure replaced his gun.

"Listen, I don't want any bloodshed," He was lying. "Tell us where Fox is."

"If I could, I still wouldn't, now leave." I noticed the one with the sword placing his paw on the hilt and I moved the shotgun over to him. "Hey, paws off." The leader placed his paws by his side and I felt the room tense up.

"I said I don't want any bloodshed but I'm not afraid to let some out…particularly anyone who gets in the way of Crimson Cell." The leader said and they drew their guns.

"Shit…" I heard Janus whisper and the tension was so high, you could cut it with a knife.

"That's enough boys." Zima said and she walked in behind them, Zima was carrying a M4 and Mishkin had a small tube in his left paw. He squeezed it and a three foot, double bladed energy sword curled around his paws before extending. "You'll have to leave now." I saw the leader, well, more like heard him, sigh and they lowered their weapons. Zima and Mishkin moved to the left as the group walked out and the leader turned to me.

"This is not over, I will be looking for your friend, the fox, and I will not forget today." They vanished and I let out a sigh as my weapon was lowered.

"Christ that was close." We grouped back together and Mishkin collected the weapons.

"I'll take these back." He went downstairs and Janus followed him.

"That was close." She walked up to me and before I had a chance to react, she slapped me.

"What was that for?" I asked, quite indignant.

"You almost wrecked my bar! And you could have gotten the tigers killed." She crossed her arms and I sighed.

"We could have died Zima if I hadn't done anything." She looked up at me and I looped my arms around her.

"Well…you're right about that." I kissed her and she melted into my arms.

I felt the ship grind against something as Amethyst shut the craft down. We walked out into the station and four dark figures walked up to us.

"Amethyst, you have brought Fox back." The figure spoke with the same voice that I had heard when he was talking on the Comm. He turned out to be a leopard but his fur was unusually dark. His gold eyes looked at me and I threw out my paw.

"Solomon, I'm glad that I have returned." He shook my paw and Solomon smiled his characteristic grin.

"Black Cell wasn't the same without one of its first operatives." We walked into the base and it was all coming back to me now. I walked into the base and Amethyst walked beside me as we passed through the main gate.

Awhile later, I was escorted into a small room and the door was shut with Amethyst and me in it.

"This is only standard procedure Fox, there is a few hour period where you have to be confined with another Black Cell member."

"I remember the last one," I said and I looked around the room, there was only a cot and a chair. "We almost fit on the cot." Amethyst laughed and she walked up to me. I was sitting on the chair and she sat on my lap, her arms went around me and her tongue pressed against my muzzle as she politely asked for a kiss. I acknowledged her and we locked muzzles passionately for a few moments, but it seemed to last for an eternity.

Finally, she let go and Amethyst rose off me. She stood to the left of me and I lay down on the cot, she turned around and then lay down next to me.

"So are you part vulpine at all?"

"No, I'm fully lupine with a bit of lynx in me." I nodded and she moved over me since the cot wasn't big enough for both of us to fit. Amethyst lay her head on my shoulder and I closed my eyes as I fell asleep listening to her breathing…

I opened my eyes sometime during the night and Zima was not next to me, I moved out of the bed and I slipped on my pants. I also took the sword that I had taken from the tigers before I came upstairs. They were asleep when I had taken it so I figured that they didn't need it. I gripped the weapon tightly and snuck down into the main area, it was dark and as my eyes adjusted to the blackness, I picked out shapes; a table, chairs, etc. Where was Zima? I crept around the club looking in all the rooms but I found not a single soul.

This was starting to get eerie. I must have tripped on something because I fell and slammed my shoulder on something soft and furry. A muffled moan came out of it and I instantly had the saber out.

"Who's there?" The muzzle sound came out again and the sword cast light onto the figure. "Shot Zima, what happened to you?" Her paws were tied and a gag was around her muzzle, I quickly undid the gag and she coughed once.

"It's a trap!" The lights came on and the four members of Crimson Cell dropped from the ceiling. I whipped around and they instantly had their guns out.

"Lower the sword, do it now!" The leader ordered and I did as he asked. He took the weapon away from me and Zima sat up.

"You bastards, why are you doing this?"

"We want Fox McCloud and we want him now."

"I told you already, I have no Goddamn clue where he is." Zima said and the leader held his blaster up to her.

"Do you want to die?" With a surprise move, I yanked his arm and got him in a half nelson, I had the blaster in my paw and I pressed the barrel to his head.

"Do _you_ want to die?" I asked and the others raised their weapons.

"Wait; don't fire unless you have a clear shot." The leader said and I smiled.

"Go to Hell." I said and I fired three shots, the gun was aimed at the others and the three Crimson Cell members fell to the ground. They screamed in pain as red blood exploded onto the floor, I had shot them in the same spot, a small artery in the leg. Unless they had surgery in four minutes, they would die. I smashed the blaster against the leader's head and he crumpled to the ground as his muzzle came into contact with the blood. I quickly walked over to Zima and she was shaking, I noticed that they had stripped her bare and I quickly undid the bonds.

"Oh Calyx…" She shook in my arms and I saw Mishkin walked up the stairs.

"What the…What is going on?"

"Attacked by the Crimson Cell. Get your brother up." I said and he rushed back downstairs.

"Blood…" Zima said and she started to cry so I held her tighter.

"Did they do anything to you?"

"No, you came just in time." She said and I felt wetness on my shoulder as she cried harder. The three on the ground screamed and I put them out of their misery as now I had four dead on my paws, this was only part of countless others I had killed as a serial killer. I thought that part of me had died in prison but guess it had just gone into a dormant state.

I awoke and Amethyst was watching me, her eyes were open and she had her paws on my muzzle.

"Oh hey, what are you doing?"

"Watching you sleep. The time in isolation is almost done, but I figure that we have another half an hour or so." I placed my arms on her back and her tail curled around my left as I stroked the back of her neck.

"Well, I'll miss this time we have together."

"Fox, I always have the ship, no Black Cell member is allowed on unless I give her or him my explicit permission." She said that with a sly smile and I got the message.

"So we would be completely alone?" She nodded. "No one to bother us?" Again, a nod. "Ok, I'll keep that in mind."

"But then again, we are alone now." She said and I dropped my jaw a bit. She startled me when Amethyst licked my neck while she had my lower jaw in her mouth. I felt her purple tongue grace my neck and she closed her eyes as I continued stroking her neck.

There was a knock on the door and Amethyst rose off me as I stood up, the door opened and Solomon walked in.

"Well Fox, you are now reinstated back into the Black Cell. You are free to go anywhere on the station and you can leave to go back to wherever Amethyst brought you from. Keep your Comm on and with you at all times, if you are ever needed, that is way we contact you. But I guess you already knew all this."

"Yes, I did." He nodded and Solomon walked away, the pair walked back to Amethyst's ship but Fox stopped before they boarded it. "Can I use this to contact Calyx?"

"Yes, it's your Comm." Amethyst replied and I dialed him. It took a few moments but his face came on. "Calyx, its Fox." He seemed a bit distraught.

"Hey Fox, listen we have just been attacked by a Cell group by the name of Crimson Cell." Amethyst looked at me and she had a worried look on.

"Crimson Cell?" I asked and Amethyst moved the Comm over to her.

"Calyx, Crimson Cell is our rival Cell group, if they are attacking you, they must think that Fox is still there."

"That's exactly what is happening. The leader that I just killed-"

"You killed him!" Amethyst asked as he was cut off. "Calyx, the bar isn't safe anymore, you need to get your asses on a shuttle and get away from Zoness."

"Where would we go?"

"Well Fox and I are leaving the Black Cell base now so I could maybe have them keep you safe."

"Ok, I need to get Zima and the tigers together. Where can we rendezvous?"

"Well," She popped up a map next to his vid shot and looked at the system. "Titania would be a good meeting point. How fast can you get there?" Amethyst saw Calyx look over and a few moments later, he returned.

"Give us a day; we will meet you at Titania one day from tomorrow."

"Ok." The Comm shut off and Fox looked at her.

"I can't believe that Crimson Cell is still looking for me."

"They won't stop until you are dead."


	4. Chapter 4: Crash

Black Cell

Chapter 4: Crash

I sat in the co-pilot's chair as Amethyst dropped her ship out of warp, Titania stood before us and I scanned the surrounding area for Calyx.

"Where are they?" I heard Amethyst ask and I pointed.

"Right there." I said and she hit the throttle. Her craft shot around the planet and another craft pulled up beside us.

"Hey Fox." The Comm came up and Calyx's face came up.

"Hey panther, where have you been?"

"Well, Zima had a little trouble getting her ship ready but we're here."

"Ok, I'm going to contact the Black Cell base, be with you in a moment." I said and Amethyst switched the Comm over to a heavily encrypted channel.

"Solomon, are you there?" He came up a few seconds later and the leopard smiled at her.

"Well, hello you two."

"I have a request Solomon. A few of my friends have just been attacked by Crimson Cell and they need a place to hole up for a while."

"Amethyst, that is against the Cell's regulations…but," He paused and then continued. "I can make an exception this time. Where are your friends?"

"Their ship is right next to ours, they comprise of two panthers and two tigers."

"Ok, get them over here and I will offer my services. Once this is over, they need to leave though."

"Understood Solomon." Amethyst said and his vid shot died. "Calyx, it is ok for you to come with us."

"Thank you Amethyst." His vid shot dematerialized and then a siren sounded right next to my ear. Amethyst's paws shot over the console in front of her and she looked at me.

"Crimson Cell, four ships are coming to intercept us."

"What?" I asked and she got back on the Comm.

"Calyx, four Crimson Cell ships are coming at us, get ready to warp." He nodded and we circled around the planet, no sign of the Crimsons yet. Amethyst worked the console and the engines glowed blue as Calyx's ship also had blue engines. "Ok, let's go." Amethyst said but her ship was thrown violently forward as something hit us from behind.

"What the Hell was that?" I yelled and she sent the coordinates to Calyx.

"Go here Calyx; now get out of here before you are destroyed."

"Amethyst, what about you two?"

"Don't worry about us." She clicked the Comm off and Calyx went into warp as she pulled the craft around. The four shot by us and they started to circle around.

"Just like old times, eh Amethyst?"

"Yes, just like old times." She smiled at me and a second console came up in front of me. "All the weapons are yours."

"Ok, here we go." I said and the four started firing. Amethyst had her ship dance in her paws and I let off a few charge shots. They collided with the group but the shields absorbed most of the blast and we spun around fast. I held the triggers down and launched a few missiles as they slammed into the rears of the ships. The four broke off and I unleashed a sonic pulse, it enveloped one and the craft detonated in a fiery mass of fragments. The three saw that they had lost one and they ganged up on us as a combination of their lasers nailed the shield. "How's our shield doing?"

"45 percent, Fox, I don't know if I can get us out of this one." I didn't respond as the rear guns came online, I let off some anger and then there was two.

"Are you sure?"

That's when the two Nova Bombs hit us. The shield was gone and the structural integrity was failing.

"Yes." Amethyst struggled at the controls and the craft behind us did not fire, I guessed that they wanted to see us die. "Fox, we're going to crash on Titania." She said it so matter-o-factly and I looked over.

"If we die, I just want you to know that I love you Amethyst." She looked over and smiled.

"We aren't going to die." The ship rumbled as it broke the atmosphere, there were several loud bangs and I knew we had lost some critical gear. The clouds parted and I saw the dunes of the Titanian desert. I saw a settlement a few miles away but I knew we wouldn't reach it.

"That settlement, try to land as close as you can to it." She nodded and the craft shot over the sand as she coaxed more out of the engines. The two Crimson Cell ships were still behind us and then another siren sounded.

"And there goes the engines." We were coasting now and Amethyst hit a button to deploy the boosters to land. They failed and the inside of the craft went dark. "And there goes the power." I looked over to her and then impact, I went black.

I felt extreme warmth all over my body and I tried to move, pain lanced through my skull and as I raised my head. The sun shone brightly into my eyes, I slowly sat up and I felt over my head, it was slick with blood and I saw that I had flown right through the cockpit and landed onto the sand. I stood up and I saw the craft, it was smoking in the sand and I staggered over to it. The left wing was gone and most of the body was shot to Hell, a gaping hole was where the hatch should have been and I walked into the craft. Most, well, everything was in pieces and I looked frantically for Amethyst, I spotted her back out through a large hole in the cockpit. I walked back out into the sand and I fell beside her.

"Amethyst, Amethyst wake up." I said. She stirred slightly and she opened her eyes.

"Did we die yet?"

"No, are you ok?" She tried to move but a cry echoed.

"No, I think my arm is broke, and I can't feel my left leg." I gently rolled her over and I checked her over for wounds, besides the two broken limbs, she looked ok.

"Ok," I tried to think of what to do next but I felt so hot and dehydrated. I unzipped my stealth suit and I was glad that I had a pair of pants on underneath it. I rolled it up and I laid it over her body. "I'll be back in a moment." I walked back to the ship and tried to find anything of value; I opened a cabinet and as the door fell off, a shotgun also fell into my arms. "Ahh, a weapon." I slung the weapon over my shoulder and I saw that the belt also had a line of shells in it too. I saw nothing else so I walked back to Amethyst, vultures had started to circle and I picked up Amethyst in my arms. She moaned slightly and I saw the settlement in the distance.

So I walked. The sun glared at me in all in burning hotness and I kept walking through the dunes. I saw a vulture swoop down but I ducked and the bird shot over me, he was not fast enough however and my shotgun nailed him in the chest. The bird hit the ground and I was left alone.

The settlement was closer now and Amethyst moaned in my arms as I nuzzled her ear.

"We're almost there." I whispered and I saw a dust cloud moving toward me. A jeep was blazing toward us and I set the lupine down, I had the gun in my paws and the jeep pulled up to me.

"Who are you?" The figures were cloaked in brown weave and I could not see their faces as their hoods covered their muzzles.

"I need medical treatment for myself and the lupine. We were shot down and don't mean to intrude." I said and one figure hopped out into the sand.

"Hand over the gun and we will provide what you need." I handed him the shotgun butt first and he slung it onto my back. We picked up Amethyst and the jeep ride back to the settlement was bumpy as I tried to hold her still. She cried out a few times and when the jeep pulled under a tent, I quickly jumped out with the two other figures with me. We took the lupine to a medical building and a doctor walked up to me.

"What happened?"

"We were in a crash; I think she has a broken arm and leg." He looked at my head and I pushed him away. "Do her first." He nodded and I saw the vulpine walked over to Amethyst.

"You're going to be alright." He said and I sat down in a chair, the desert's heat overcame me and I passed out as my head hit the ground.

Zima dropped the ship out of warp and the Black Cell station loomed in front of them as they waited to be contacted.

"Where is Fox?" She asked and Calyx sighed.

"I don't know, they fought off the other ships and I really don't know what happened." The Comm lit up and Solomon came up on it.

"Calyx I presume?"

"Yes, that would be us."

"Where is Fox?"

"I don't know, we were attacked by Crimson Cell members and I don't know if he made it."

"Where was your rendezvous point?" Solomon sounded worried.

"Titania." Solomon nodded and Calyx sighed.

"I'll send a team to see if he is alright. I'm going to have to escort you in so a fighter will be up in a few seconds."

I awoke and I sat up on what I presumed to be a bed. My head spun and I opened my eyes, Amethyst was next to me on a cot and I saw that an IV was in my arm. We were in some tent and I swung my legs so that they touched the floor. I saw my stealth suit on a chair next to me and my shotgun also rested with it as the doctor came in.

"Well, welcome back." He saw me looked at Amethyst and he walked over to me. "She'll be ok; your lupine has a broken arm but only a fractured leg. She'll be up soon."

"So when can we leave?" I asked and the doctor nodded.

"As soon as she wakes up." He looked over at my suit and he smiled. "Black Cell, eh?" I looked at him astonished and he smiled. "How do I know? I used to be in the Cell." He rolled back a sleeve and I saw the tattoo of two snakes around a pole. "You have one on your back."

"I do…you wouldn't know Solomon?"

"Yes, I know him. We were like brothers until he thought I was in Crimson Cell; I was working undercover and he suspected foul play. He had every right to." He walked over to me and sat down next to me.

"Were you?"

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't but I did have him believe that I switched sides. He ejected me from the Cell and he I am on Titania, living on a settlement." Amethyst stirred and she woke up.

"Fox?" She said and the lupine sat up.

"Right here Amethyst." She turned around and she saw the doctor.

"So did you fix me?"

"Yep, your arm will heal soon and your leg is ok, I was able to repair it." He said and she looked at me.

"Now if he could only fix my ship."

"That is taken care of; I will provide you with a new one." He stood up and took the IV out of my arm. He took her arm and the doctor removed a small Comm like device, she flexed it and it and no pain showed. "Come on." I grabbed my gear and we walked into a hangar, a sleek craft sat before us and he crossed his arms. "Nine years in the making and it is all yours."

"You can't do that, it's your ship."

"Not anymore," He put a paw on my shoulder and smiled. "For a Black Cell member, I would give my life for you." He removed his paw and I walked up to it, the hatch opened at my presence and a sonic boom echoed above us. I ran outside and I saw three Cell ships fly over us; they did a U-turn and then set down right in front of me. The first craft had its hatch open.

"Solomon!" I said and the leopard walked out to meet me.

"I hear that you were in some trouble, Fox."

"Yeah but I found a settlement and…" His gaze wasn't at me so I looked toward where he was looking.

"Solomon." I felt Amethyst touch my paws behind me and she looked over my shoulder as I watched the confrontation.

"I can't even remember your name."

"I never had one; however you always used to call me Zero."

"Well, Zero, it's been a long time."

"Too long." I heard Zero whisper and I felt tension increase.

"I should go now."

"Yes, let's get out of here and off this damn planet." We walked into the craft and I saw Zero still standing there, smiling. Solomon's craft shot off of Titania with the other two and he turned to me. "Zero…he worries me. I wondered where he would turn up next." He shook his head and I sighed. "Well, I'm glad that I found you."

"Did Calyx and the rest make it to the base?"

"Yes, they are holed up back at the base." He looked at me and smiled. "So how was the crash?"

"Oh it was great. I almost killed myself and Amethyst could have died." I said quite sarcastically and Amethyst sat down next to me. She put her paws around me and kissed my cheek.

"Thank you for saving me." She whispered in my ear.

"Anytime Amethyst." I said and we hit the warp.


	5. Chapter 5:Assault

Black Cell

Chapter 5: Assault

The craft dropped out warp as I tapped my claws against my cheek, what Solomon had said about Zero had me worried but I pushed it out of my mind.

"Fox, when I set my ship down, I need to speak with you alone." I nodded and Solomon set the craft down. Amethyst kissed me and she walked off as I walked with Solomon, we walked around the bay and then out into the station.

"What would you like to talk about Solomon?" He was silent for a moment and then we stopped.

"Why have you decided to come back to the Cell, Fox?" I thought about the question and then answered him.

"I felt alone; I needed a family if you will." Solomon looked at me curiously and I put my paws behind my back.

"You consider this family?" He raised his paws and I nodded.

"Yes, I consider this all, even you and this station." I placed a paw on his shoulder and he took it in his. The leopard looked me in the eye and he smiled.

"Thank you." He moved his paw on my shoulder and his smile turned to a frown. "What is this?" I heard him ask and he took a small device off my shoulder. "Fox, get in the base right now. Come on!" He yelled and we ran to the docking bay. "Power up the defensive shield!" Solomon yelled into his Comm.

Almost immediately there was thunder and lightning in the sky, explosions began lighting up the shield and u heard turrets power up as we ran around the halls in the base. Solomon opened a door and we were in the main control room; Calyx and the others were already in there

and Solomon gave out orders.

"Ok, I need you three to get in the turrets and start defending the station. He said pointing at Zima and the two tigers. "Fox, you and Calyx need to get to the weapons room and get equipped." I nodded and Amethyst looked at Solomon.

"What am I going to do?"

"Stay here with me; I'll need your help."

I ran with the panther to the weapons room and Calyx's mouth dropped, rows upon rows of armaments lined the walls and I knew exactly what I needed. I picked off a Styr Bullpup and grabbed a box of ammo, I slung the gun onto my shoulder and also I took an energy sword and a shotgun for close combat.

"Wow, I don't even know where to start." Calyx said and I smiled.

"We might need some incendiary weapons so get a rocket launcher." He nodded and I saw him easily lift the launcher onto his back. Calyx also took rounds for the launcher and I heard turrets light up as my Comm blinked.

"Fox, Crimson Cell is here and they are deploying troop carriers, I'm sending down to you a squad to fight off the invasion." Solomon said and I nodded. I laid my gear down and walked over to where some armor was.

"Calyx, you'll need this." I tossed him a modified stealth suit and he looked at me.

"This seems kind of weak."

"It is almost the same as mine; it can take a rocket blast so you'll be fine." I said and I also tossed him a helmet. I slipped mine on and the HUD in front of my eyes flicked on as I slung the shogun over my shoulder. I cocked the Bullpup and threaded the clips of ammo into a belt; I also stocked up on shotgun shells just in case. I heard a sounding of footpaws and a team of ten Black Cell walked up to us.

"Fox McCloud, we are under your control." I heard through my headset. They were dressed as I was: Black stealth suits, helmets, and varying weapons.

"Ok guys, let's go." We ran out of the room and to the main docking bay, the shield was under severe stress and I sighed as Calyx stood beside me.

"So, what do we do?"

"Spread out, if the shield goes down, we're in for some Hell." The team did and I piped my Comm to the main control room.

"Solomon here."

"This is Fox, how are we doing?"

"The shield is almost down, most of the turrets are offline and the troop carriers are starting to mass. I fear that this is the result of a well planned assault on us."

"Put Amethyst on."

"Fox, are you ok?" Her face appeared on the HUD and I smiled.

"No, when the shield goes down I'll be swamped. This may be the end Amethyst."

"Fox! How could you say that?" There was a massive rumbling and I saw the shield give out.

"Because we have no shield." She looked at me and mouthed the words: _I love you._ Her face vanished and I rerouted my Comm signal back to my team. "Here they come, fire at will." Calyx was setting up the launcher and he had a sniper rifle on his back.

"Ok, bring em on." The panther said as he lay down with the sniper rifle out. We were on a high ledge in the docking bay and then I heard the landing of troop carriers. The shelling had stopped and I felt the tension in the air.

My HUD was linked to a scope on my Bullpup and I saw the Crimson Cell members at a distance, it was like they were waiting for something. Their ranks were perfectly aligned and I frowned.

"What are they waiting for?" I whispered and Calyx shook his head.

"I don't know." He was looking through his scope but he had not fired.

Then it happened. The ranks (I estimated about a hundred or so troops), move forward and Calyx loosed of a shot.

"Oh shit, they are shielded." He whispered and the ranks broke apart as they fired. Lasers filled the bay and Calyx pulled the hammer back on the rocket launcher; he set it to auto and he lay back down with me. I was firing off rounds and he joined me as the launcher tracked targets. I shot my rifle dry and I ejected the clip as a rocket streaked off, it slammed into a group of Crimson Cell and they were blown back. I zoomed in on my HUD and they did not move.

"Fox to team, use heavy weapons if you have them, that is the only way to crack their shields." Explosions rocked the bay and the launcher to my right was loosing off rounds when it detonated. I was felt the heat wash over me and I was blown off the ledge, I fell to the docking bay floor and I hit the ground.

I heard the rocket launcher I had set up explode and to my horror, I saw Fox fly out into space.

"FOX!" I yelled and I saw him twist around as his body shot to the docking bay floor, it was quite a drop and when he hit, I felt as though we had already lost. I saw that Fox had fallen onto his back and he was not moving. I quickly got on the Comm and I contacted Solomon.

"This is Solomon."

"There was an accident, Fox fell." I said and his face frowned.

"He fell? Explain Calyx."

"The launcher detonated beside us and the explosion blew him off the high balcony that we are on. He fell…" I said morosely and the leopard's frown deepened.

"How are we doing over there?"

"The tide is turning, we have disabled the Crimson's Cell's shield by using explosives but they seem to still be coming." I replied and a laser shot pinged off close to my head. I ducked and I slung the sniper rifle onto my back as I ran down to the docking bay floor; there lay my vulpine friend. His body was twisted in a strange way and knocked on his helmet with my paw, laser fire echoed around me as he did not move. "No Fox, wake up, please, wake up Fox." I shook him and his life signs were gone.

I had lost my friend, my brother, my comrade. I took the sword from his belt and I slipped it into mine as I picked up his body.

"Calyx to team, Fox is down and I am ordering a retreat." I ran into a hallway and only a few members were left, they ran by me and I ran with them. The Crimson Cell was behind us as I stopped them. "Take Fox to Solomon, I'll deal with them."

"Sir, are you sure?" Someone asked and I lit up the laser sword.

"More than ever." They ran off and I pressed my body to the corner, I waited for the Crimson Cell and when they ran past the corner, I lashed out. They were caught by surprise and I yelled as they fired. "Die you fuckers!" I screamed and my sword was everywhere, my armor was taking direct hits but I didn't care as I moved throughout the hallway. Dead Cell members lay behind me and I took a grenade off a Cell member as I tossed it, the fire stopped and screams echoed as I took my revenge. "Go back to Hell where you were spawned!" I screamed and I dashed headlong down the hallway, slashing, cutting, striking anything that moved.

By now, there were only a few Cell members left and a bloodlust was in my eyes as I took a Crimson weapon, it was a large pistol and with my other paw around the sword, I screamed as I shot back into the docking bay. Crimson Cell members were trying to escape and when they saw me, they really started running.

"YAAAHHHH!" I shot one in the head while throwing my sword, the keen blade sliced through one's leg and it was sheered off as he fell to the ground screaming. The pistol thundered in my paws and then there was one. I walked over to the wounded Cell and I hauled hi up, my claws digging into his fur.

"Please…please don't kill me." I vaguely heard his words and I took off my helmet, his body was shaking as I bared my teeth and he struggled.

"Calyx! Put him down!" I heard someone yell and I turned around. Solomon was running with four other Black Cell and I growled, it was a bit ethereal and I placed the pistol to the head.

"He deserves to die, they killed Fox!" I yelled and Solomon put a paw on my shoulder. Tears were starting to form from my rage and the leopard looked at me with his golden eyes.

"He's not dead." The words seemed to penetrate deeply and I dropped the whimpering animal.

"He's not! How could he be alive?" His fall was a nasty one and Solomon took the pistol away from me.

"He's alive Calyx, he wants to see you." Solomon waved his paw and the Crimson was hauled up. "Take him to sick bay and patch him up. You'll tell us where the Crimson Cell base is." The whimpering animal was led off and Solomon and I walked to where Fox was held.

He was in the sick bay and I ran over to him, the others were also around Fox and he was in bad shape.

"Hey Cal."

"Fox, how did you live?" He coughed and a trickle of blood ran down his muzzle.

"I'm in rough shape buddy. I don't think I'll make this one."

"But you can't go, not after all we've been through!" I said and I clasped his paws. He smiled weakly at me and I saw Amethyst; she was sitting down in a chair with her muzzle in her paws, her body was shaking slightly and I let him go. I walked over to the lupine and I touched her head. "Amethyst…"

"What Calyx?" Her voice was tinged with anger and I took her paws.

"Amethyst." Fox called weakly and I walked her over to him. He took her paws and more blood leaked down his muzzle as she started to cry. "I think it's time…just remember that I will always love you no matter what." Fox closed his eyes and he breathed his last as Amethyst let out a scream of anguish. I happened to be the closest so she buried her face in his chest and cried hard. I gently rubbed her head and Zima took Amethyst's paw as she took the lupine from me.

"Come on Amethyst." She was going to comfort the female and I let her go. Mishkin and Janus were there and they looked quite solemn.

"He was a great friend, almost a father to me." Janus said and Mishkin sighed.

"And I saw him die a second time, this time I knew there would be no return." He whispered and took my friend's paw once more.

"You were a great friend Fox; your memory will not be forgotten."

_Author's Note: Well, that's it. I know that this story is short compared to my others but I have decided to end it now. If you liked it, tell me, if you want to nail me to a wall, flames are encouraged. Here's an update on what the future holds: I'm still working on _The System_ but it might be a while before I update it. I am thinking of a story idea called _Blood of the Father_, any ideas would be appreciated. And this is still up in the air but NintendoShawn and I are working on a story called _StarFox Legends_, I don't know if he will keep that up though. Until later,_

_Silver Meta Dragon_

_Great Fox 1_


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